Harrison Ogara, a member representing Igbo-Eze South Constituency in the Enugu State House of Assembly, has refuted the claim that there is a leadership crisis in the Labour Party. Ogara made this statement on Saturday in Enugu while responding to the defection of six LP members of the house of Assembly to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday. The lawmaker insisted that no crisis in the party could justify the defection to the PDP. He stressed that the claim was “false and misleading”.
Ogara also pointed out that they could still support Gov. Peter Mbah while remaining in their party. He said that they have been working together as a team for the past nine months, regardless of their party affiliations. He added that they could support the governor from the Labour Party.
He accused the defectors of abandoning the platform that brought them to the House of Assembly. He also maintained that the defectors were free to join any political party of their choice, but they should not do so through deceit and lies.
Ogara also noted that according to section 51 of the 2022 Electoral Act, if a legislator defects from one political party to another, they automatically lose their seat. Thus, he believes that the Labour Party will approach the court to declare the seats of the defected lawmakers vacant.
He expressed regret that the defectors had abandoned the party that brought them to power. He vowed that the Labour Party would not give its ticket to anyone who was not committed to the party in the future.